2010 Year-End Winter Survival Guide

It's the week between Christmas and New Years, and if you're not on vacation you're not getting much done at work, because everyone else is. So, what do you do? Well my friend. You've come to the right place. Here's my 2010 year end winter survival guide.

#1. TV - The stalwart of time wasting devices. Tried and true. New and improved. And now more accessible than ever. You can watch your favorite shows at home on your 50 inch-3D-HD-LED-TV at your convenience on your DVR or On-Demand. But what should you watch. If you're like me, you're sick and tired of the manufactured drama of "Reality TV", disgusted with the ever-lowering content standards of prime-time programming, and tired of sitting through hours of commercials only to be continually bombarded with product placements in the few positive programs that ARE out there... i.e. "The Biggest Looser" and "Extreme Home Makeover". Sometimes you just want to laugh without being shocked. If this is you then you need to check out Psych. A show about a couple gumshoes who masquerade as psychics while using their intellect to solve crimes on a contract basis for the Santa Barbara police department. Watch it and try not to laugh... and instead of product placements, see if you can find the randomly placed pineapple in each episode.

#2. Internet - you can use the Internet to watch TV, but I like to watch my TV on my TV... the old fashioned way. That way I can multitask and keep the TV running in the background while I use my bandwidth for some good old fashioned surfing. Every cyclist can appreciate the revolution that the Internet has brought to the cycling community. Internet based cycling shops are a dime a dozen and force your local bike shops to keep their prices reasonable in order to keep your business. I always recommend supporting your LBS. Where would we be without them? Can you remove and clean an Italian-threaded bottom bracket on that fancy bike of yours, and do you have the proper tools? Probably not, so visit your LBS today!!! That being said, if you just simply don't have the money to pay retail for your dream bike or bike parts, and you don't mind buying an item that's had a previous owner, you can save some serious coin online. Ebay is always a fun place to search. Check out this nice set of wheels. Good solid wheels... great for the person trying to save some cash and still have a nice quick ride with the flashy look of a carbon aero wheel. Here's a tip for buying on Ebay. look at the feedback score, you can see this guy only has one previous sale on Ebay. So, either he just isn't a big Ebay seller, or there's something fishy about the sale. You can see that he is located in NJ.. that's good... it's not a foreign country... and Ebay has certain rules and policies to protect buyers. So, if you've paid with Paypal and haven't obliged any "special" requests from the seller you can be relatively certain that he won't run off with your money without giving you the product he has advertised. Rule number one on high-priced items like this... ask a few questions so you know he's a regular guy selling his own wheels. If he doesn't know anything about them, they are probably stolen, and if he doesn't respond to your questions at all, don't pay him.... period. Craigslist is another fun way to look for cool bike stuff, but the quality and variety of things you find there are usually a little less... let's say... regulated. These are usually local sellers, and it resembles a neighborhood rummage sale more than it does an on-line store. And these transactions usually mean you will have to arrange to meet and pay the seller somehow in person. That is the safest way. If you send money to anonymous people you have just met on the Internet... then you deserve to be ripped off... because that's just not very smart. But you CAN find some great deals. Like the one-year-old Cycleops Fluid trainer I got for my birthday a few weeks ago for $200. I love it. And like your local rummage sale, it's the best place to go when you really don't have anything specific you need to buy. Because its times like that you will find items like this motorized bike. ( Disclaimer: these are real ads... so I'm not sure how long these links will stay active.)

#3. Creative Cross Training - use this time to do some creative working out that you wouldn't otherwise have the time or freedom to do. I am not a type A trainer. I do not find comfort in a schedule. I do not get satisfaction from establishing a routine and sticking to it. Whenever I get the chance to mix it up... I do. Last night I knew I needed to get in some cycling and running. Normally I would push to make it home early so I could squeeze in one or the other and then work the remainder of the workout in around dinner and kid's bedtime. But not yesterday. I pulled the bike and the trainer into the house so I could watch a movie with my wife while spinning for an hour or so, then as soon as the movie was dying down, the wife grabbed a book and started reading while I went running for an hour... at 11p.m. That was fun. It was pitch black, misting, cold, and not a car in sight. My buddy and I ran for over an hour... talking and praying as we ran. The novelty of running in the middle of the night made it fun. We have also been know to put on our old shoes and pull off a 6 mile run in the pouring rain. In the heat and humidity of Houston Texas, I have had some of my more memorable runs and best running splits when it's raining out. A few rainy runs a year are a must... in my opinion. If it's cold out, wear a good ventilated running rain jacket, you don't want to get sick.

So spend this week having fun and dreaming of what you want your life to look like this next year. And when you make your resolutions, do yourself a favor and consider resolving to make yourself available to God. If you consider yourself a good person who values truth above all else, then ask Him to reveal it to you... and then resolve to be honest with yourself. That's one prayer you can count on him answering... every time. The process of making things right in your life is hardly ever easy, but the finished product is worth it. So press on toward the mark of the high calling my friends!

Have a Wonderful New Year!!!!

Soulrider

It Hurts So Good!

Wow, after months of virtually zero activity, I am finally getting back after it, and boy is it painful. I am amazed at how much fitness one can loose in such a short period of time. Even more surprising is how much more time it seems to take to get it back than it does to lose it. I haven't completely rebuilt my bike after the accident (because wheels are quite expensive... in case you haven't heard) but it is functional, and even though it is getting cooler outside I've been able to jump right back into the saddle with my new trainer. I have a feeling this will end up being one of the best birthday gifts ever. When it's freezing outside and dark when I get off work I can still hop on my bike without giving it another thought. Better yet, no cars to worry about. The other night we were watching "The Biggest Loser" finale and I didn't want to miss it, or time with the family, because I needed to get in some time on the bike. So I wheeled the bike into the kitchen, laid down a towel, and sat on the bike instead of the couch. It was great. It's so quiet that it didn't even interfere with the show or any of our conversations. The biggest hurdle is going to be fitness. May 21st and the Ironman is just around the corner, and in exactly one month the marathon will be here. I don't doubt that I will be able to complete both of these events. Will it be tough? Yes. Will I walk a bunch... absolutely. But to keep things in perspective, whose asking me to do it? Nobody... that's right. So, the only thing I'm going to stress out about is how I can maximize my level of enjoyment while participating in these events.
There's that word again... perspective. I challenge you to think about that word for a while. Apply it to every situation of your life that you find stressful. In the grand scheme of things, how important are these things that we commit our selves to? The Bible tells us to cast all of our cares upon Christ because He cares for us. Do you believe that? Do you really believe that? If you do, then how does your life reflect that? The Bible also tells us to trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not unto your own understand but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Instead of being discouraged, or stressed, or upset, have hope in a savior that really does love you and has a great plan for your future.

The Waiting Game

After taking about a month off of training, you can probably imagine, I'm ready to get back at it. The Ironman is steadily drawing nearer and I'm not making any fitness progress sitting around the house. And right when I think it's about to get better... I start mixing in some quality 20 minute workouts and light strength training... then... I get yet another setback. I started having some strange stomache cramps with body aches and fever after my workouts. I stop working out... again... to make sure it's just a bug and give it time to pass. But it doesn't pass. So, two weeks later, I go to the doctor... again. This time the doctor sends me straight to the emergency room. Four hours later I'm changing into a surgical gown and getting prepped for surgery. Now... two weeks later (minus my appendix) I am about to crawl out of my skin. The doctor says I need to wait yet another couple of weeks before I start working out again. This is going to be brutal... I can't wait to feel the pain of training again.

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Teach me Lord to wait.

Are You Listening?

What do you do when you hear bad news? Do you dwell on it and let it affect your future? Does it make you want to fight even harder for what you want? What should you do? I think you have to find a healthy balance. You can't let your life and attitude be affected by things you can't control, and yet you must develop the skills of a good listener. History is filled with examples of leaders that pressed on in the face of adversity to accomplish many amazing things. Likewise, there are many examples of people who ignored the voice of reason and forged ahead... straight to their own destruction. This is the same in life and triathlon. God has a purpose for you and allows you to suffer trials so that you can be refined like gold being refined by the fire. His spirit, at the same time, is speaking to you. If you are not inclined to believe that, you might miss a blessing, or worse, plod headstrong into even more suffering. If you stop running the first time you get a stitch in your side, you're going to miss the fitness benefits that are gained when you push through the pain. And if you keep pushing through that strange little twinge in your knee run after run without giving it a rest, you might risk the possibility of not being able to run in the future. You must be able to listen.
I'm struggling right now with exactly that. I've set a goal of ironman texas on may21st. After being hit by that car during a training ride back in June, the doctor has told me to temporarily stop riding my bike and limit my running to a slow-paced 20 mins at a time. We don't exactly know why my hands go numb when I'm riding my bike, and apparently the doctor sees some lingering concussion symptoms even 5 months later. At what point do I decide that the ironman is no longer a realistic goal? I still have 6 1/2 months of training left , and I have already built my base level of fitness to a greater level than ever before. But... If I don't spend a TON of quality time on the bike over the winter, I will be in serious trouble come May. I guess I'll just wait and see... or... I guess I should say... hear.

The Joy and the Pain

At some point you're gonna have to learn to enjoy the suffering. As these old sayings go, "Nothing worth while is easy... If it were easy everyone would be doing it... What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." The burning in your chest when you try to breath after finishing your very first 5-mile run doesn't mean you dying... It means you're finally living. And the funny thing is, that feeling eventually goes away. And that means you're getting stronger.

This is a concept that every successful triathlete is familiar with as well as every saint who has a rich and rewarding walk with Christ.

The Bible tells us that if we are to be transformed into something pure, righteous, and holy, then we are to be refined with a purifying fire. So... don't look at your life and let fear overwhelm you when you consider your future, don't stress about the things you can't change, and don't check out at the first sign of adversity. Lace up your shoes a bit tighter and listen to the voice of your trainer who promises he's not going to push you past your limits.

So whether in life or in your triathlon training, you should look at the pain as part of the process of becoming an endurance athlete. Like I said, this is not a new concept. Just check out this passage of scripture written thousands of years ago.

The book of James, Chapter 1, verses 2-3. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

That brings me to this week's training. I finally got an MRI on my neck after being hit by that car back in June. I'm trying to figure out why I keep getting headaches and why my hands keep falling asleep when I ride my bike. After seeing the films, the doctor is referring me to the same neurosurgeon that did my lower back surgery this time last year stating, "near spinal chord contact". I know... kinda makes me nervous. I should be finding out this next week if I got something bad going on in my neck. So... no swimming this week, for obvious reasons. I've run about an hour every day and felt pretty good doing it. By the end of the week my knees were giving me some indication that they wanted a rest, so I took Thursday and Friday off. Today (Saturday) I went on a 4 1/2 hour bike ride and have been trying to shake the tingling feeling out of my hand for the past 4-5 hours, and since then my quads and I aren't on speaking terms... they say they no longer want to be my friends. This Ironman is truly going to be one of the most difficult things I've ever done. OH JOY!!!!!

Finding God in Triathlon

Ok, so I haven't posted in about three weeks. That's not because I haven't been training... or I haven't had anything interesting to write about... because I have. As far as workouts, just copy and paste the weekly routine and swap the weekend bike rides out with long weekend runs and that's basically what I've done for workouts. This past Saturday I ran the ten mile 10 for Texas in 1:23. Pretty happy with that. However, later that day I got sick. I rode the bike for an hour and ran 3 miles the next day to try and shake off the weakness and that pretty much laid me out for the rest of the weekend. So I've taken Monday and Tuesday as rest days, I've eaten a bunch of junk food, and now that I'm feeling better I'm gonna hit the road again today. But that's not why I haven't blogged. Not because I've been sick, and not because I haven't had anything interesting say. Believe me, I've thought about writing about the shin splint that I feel creeping in on my right leg and how I'm going to go about heading it off at the pass and keep it from derailing my training. No, I haven't written... because... I'm questioning the purpose behind the blog. I don't want to write a bunch of words that just a few people read and appreciate. I want to write something that is going to change people's lives. I don't say this to be arrogant. And I don't say this because I think triathlon has the power to change some one's life. If you do not apply yourself to triathlon and are not able to call upon some inner strength to be a success, triathlon will remain another sport or pass time that you used to think was the answer to all your problems. Much like that Solo flex machine or ab-lounger gathering dust in your garage. I don't want to be like Tony Little on his "Gazelle" and make you think that all you have to do is hop on this thing we call triathlon and all your problems will be answered.
I write about triathlon because it's a great way to recognize and have your life changed by the power of God. There is no greater metaphor in the wide world of sports for the idea of the trinity... Father, Son, Holy Spirit... than the triathlon. Three separate entities coexisting as one powerful being. So, If I am to continue writing about triathlon, I will not be writing so you can think that I am something special for attempting to race an Ironman. And I will not be writing so as to mislead you into thinking that this might help you medicate your particular emotional, physical, or spiritual needs. Much like planting a flag on a mountain, it represents a journey. This is my testimony of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the race that I am training to run victoriously. The opportunity that was made available to me is also available to you. Not just an opportunity to get in shape and do something that a lot of people will never do, but an opportunity to change your life and live for something bigger than yourself, a chance to live your life with purpose... whether you actually run a triathlon or not.

Week 3 - Ironman Texas Training

Week three of training for IMTX (ironman texas) was great. Not so much for the quality of my training performances, but more for what I'm learning each time I go out. I am learning to listen to my body. In fact, I'm learning that your body will speak loud and clear when you're doing something it's not quite ready for. Each week I look ahead and plan what my training week should look like. I try to consider what days the family will be home and what the weather is looking like to get the best combination of workouts. I don't want my cycling days to get rained out and force me to run every day of the week. From experience, I know that's the best way to get an injury that may sideline me for a few weeks. Week 3 looked like this:

Mon- rest day - (felt so good, however, decided to introduce my shoulder to a few easy pool laps)
Tue- 1 hr run
Wed- track workout
1 mile warm up jog, 1min sprint, 1min walk, 2min sprint, 2min walk, 3min run, 3min walk,
3min run, 3min walk, 2min sprint, 2min walk, 1min sprint, 1min walk, 1 mile cool down jog.
Thurs- Brick/Core- 1hr bike @ 18-20mph, 15 min run, then Weights: arms, legs, abs, back
Fri - Easy run - 30 mins 10 min/mile pace
Sat- Long Bike Ride - 50 miles at 19-20 mph pace
Sun - 1 hr long run planned - started running and pulled the plug after 18 mins.

The week went so well as far as being able to do the workouts I wanted to do on the days I had planned to do them, I did not feel bad at all about cutting Sunday's long run short. In fact, I didn't have much of a choice. My legs were mush after Saturday's bike ride. I had difficulty putting one foot in front of the other the entire time. I thought I might be able to stretch the soreness out when I stopped at the 4 min mark. Then I thought I might start to loosen up after the 8 min mark. Then finally, after stopping to catch my breath two more times before I had even logged 20 mins on the road, I turned the corner and took it to the house.
Overall, this week was a success. Or, more accurately, I believe the last few weeks have been a success. The sheer quantity of miles and hours accomplished is what I am most pleased with. it tells me that I am doing something right. I would not have been able to complete a week like that last month.

Things I've learned: 2 bottles of fluid & 1/2 a cliff bar per hour worked well on a 2 1/2 hr ride, and core strengthening makes a big difference on a bike ride, leg strengthening makes the knees hurt less on a run.

Now go push yourself and learn something about your body. Fall is coming, you won't have the heat as an excuse for much longer.

Soulrider.

ironman and pit bulls

The second week of ironman training is now in the books and it gets packed away with quite the exclamation point. Today was to be my long run at the end of a very productive week that only saw one rest day. But instead of a 2-hour 12 miler, I had to settle for 9 miles in 1 1/2. The credit and blame for todays performance goes to my amazing new neighbors throughout the community. The reason I am able to pull off a long run without any hydration issues is the fact that I can stash a couple of water bottles in my mail box and loop back around by the house as soon as I need one. But who wants to carry a water bottle the whole time they're running? Not me. But I don't have to worry about that... whether trash day was yesterday, today, or tomorrow someone somewhere will have there trash cans at the corner. Hooray for no deed restrictions... (note the sarcasm.) But seriously, here's the bad part about training here. Today I was attacked by a loose pit bull. I saw him run into the street ahead of me and tried to stay behind. He turned around and saw me... stopped... and waited for me. I kept my pace and decided to assume the best about this innocent looking puppy. Maybe he was just taking in the sight of a 6'5" human running past him at such blazing fast speeds (again... sarcasm). The instant I passed him I see him out of the corner of my eye break into a sprint heard him bark like he just found his next meal. In a matter of two seconds the following thought process went through my head. One... "I'm going to die." Two... "He can run faster than me." Three... " I guess I better attack him." At that point I started barking and running toward the dog. He wasn't backing down. we got 6" away from each other ... both barking... before he finally backed off and ran away...

what away to end week two of training.

Here's the breakdown...

Monday - 2 hr bike ride

Tuesday - 1 hr run

Wednesday - rest day

Thursday - Strength training/Core workout & short fast run

Friday - 1 hr run

Saturday - 2 hr bike ride

Sunday - 1 & 1/2 hr run + a single canine fartlek (yes I just invented that)

1 week down 35 to go

The thought of training for an Ironman can be a bit overwhelming. Eventually the soundtrack from last year's NBC coverage of Kona stops playing in your head and you actually have to lace up your shoes and go out for the first of your 100 or so upcoming hour-long training runs. The negative voice inside your head needs little encouragement, but nevertheless, continues to be fed. Whether it be through comparison with other more accomplished athletes who consistently perform better than you, non-athletes who insist that the distances you are attempting are unsafe (if not impossible), or setbacks when evaluating your own training expectations. I am quickly realizing the importance of racing your own personal race, and training accordingly.
One only need to visit slowtwitch.com and drop into the forum for a matter of minutes before getting a taste of training-geek-paradise. Anyone and everyone has an opinion about what YOU should be doing, and are more than willing to offer you their advise. If you have some serious questions, it's a great place to bounce some ideas around and hear some suggestions, but by no means should anyone automatically assume that what works for someone else will also work for them. At some point you must do the work for yourself and find out what will work for you. The good news is that there is a good little voice inside you as well, albeit much less boisterous at times than his evil twin, whispering a quiet truth.... "You CAN do it."
Here's a snapshot of the first week of training. I decided going up front that I did not want to miss out on my daughter being 3 yrs old, and I could not afford to miss out on sleep and have my job suffer, so my training needed to be the flexible variable in this IM equation. This was put to the test right at the beginning. My flexibility has never been an issue, or has it? The true test of an object's flexibility is the ability to bounce back. Otherwise the object is not really flexible is it? It's more malleable or pliable. So being willing to cancel my workouts for family events or other occasions is not the true test of my flexibility. The true test is my ability to re-arrange the rest of my week to achieve my training goals. My personal training goals for each week include 2 run days, 1 run/cross training/core strength day, two long multiple activity SBR workouts on the weekends. This would give me two rest days per week, which I have found that my larger frame responds quite well to when doing that much running. So what am I faced with the very first week of training? My favorite people in the world (my mom and dad) came into town on the very first day, and were able to spend two days with us. I am not going to miss out on quality family time like that for something as selfish in nature as Ironman. Nope, family comes first, and what an amazing time it was. My dad and I got to talk about the Bible, our faith in Christ, and all sorts of things more important (in the grand scheme of things) than triathlon. But nevertheless, I do have some training goals. If I am going to be truly flexible I needed to set a precedence in the first week of training and not simply cancel these two workouts, but fit them in somehow.
Day 1 Mon - rest
Day 2 Tue- rest
Day 3 Wed- 1 hour run
Day 4 Thur - Brick - 45 min bike - 15 min run
Day 5 Fri - 1 hour run
Day 6 Sat - 2 hr bike (40 miles) - 5 min run
Day 7 Sun - 30 min light run (easy day)
It was a little more difficult than i thought it would be to get motivated for each workout. I was a bit more sore than I expected. But it definitely started to prove itself worthwhile. On my two run days, i found out that i lose approximately 6 lbs. per hour running when it's hot and humid out at 10k pace. That's valuable information I did not know beforehand. This lets me know that I am on the high end as far as hydration needs are concerned in the IM. Gonna have to work on ways I can stayed fueled. This just might be the source of my cramping calf muscles.
Now go outside, exercise, and learn something about yourself, before it starts getting cold out there.
Soulrider

Ironman Training For The Type B Personality

It's getting close to commitment time. A typical ironman training schedule is about 36 weeks. So right now, I'm not beating myself up if I miss a workout, or if I have the fried rice instead of steamed with my triple delight and egg roll. Those that know me, know that I rarely beat myself up over that stuff anyway. But, things are going to have to change. Or are they?
I've been searching for a training program online that will fit me perfectly. I'm still searching.
The typical ironman-in-training may or may not have a job that requires 50+ hrs a week (like me), may or may not have a family (like me), and may or may not care if he finishes under 12 hrs with enough energy to skip across the finish line in the daylight (not like me). I am playing referree to an internal battle between my heart and my mind. The majority of the training programs out there are written by and intended for type "A" personalities who really enjoy counting their calories, logging their workouts, and monitoring their progress searching for "trends" that will help them alter their training, fueling, recovery etc. to maximize their performance on race day. These programs START at 12 hrs a week and move up to 16-18. Well, what if you truly just want to finish before the cutoff with a smile on your face and walk away with a great story you'll be able to tell the rest of your life. Where's the training program for that? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one should not approach an ironman without a great deal of respect and seriousness. There is a lot at stake. You can really hurt yourself attempting one of these. And I believe I have an appropriate amount of respect for the sport to know what I'm getting into. This is not a decision I've made on a whim. I've been involved in the sport of triathlon for almost 5 years and while an ironman may be on my "bucket list", improved fitness is not. Fitness is more of a lifestyle commitment that I have to make every day. It's an investment in my future with my family. Besides, an Mdot tattoo just wouldn't look right if it got all fat and stretched out, HA!
I could stress over finding and committing to the right program a bit more, but that would take a bit of the fun out of the process. Coach K (of the Duke Blue Devils) says that champions aren't just passionate about competing, they are passionate about preparation. He's right. But I'm not trying to qualify for Kona. I might not ever do anything longer than Olympic distance tri from here on out... who knows? My point is this, unless I find a program that will allow me to train before 6:00am (I work construction) and after 8pm M-F (my daughter's bedtime) and squeeze in long bricks on the weekends, my daughter will be 4 by the time ironman TX comes around and I will completely miss out on her being 3... and I am quite enjoying her as a 3 yr old. And I'm sure my wife would like to see me every once in a while. I've had a bad habbit of letting my hobbies get in the way of what is truly important to me, and that's NOT a part of the plan this time around. Discipline (the character that every triathlete recognizes as a virtue) is primarily about improving the quality of your life, not mis-aligning your priorities so that your life and everything truly important in it begins to suffer.
So train, and train hard. But put it into perspective every once in a while.

Lessons Learned - Be Prepared!

It's been way too long since the last post... sorry about that. But, the only thing I really want to talk about is bike safety and I've been so worked up since the bike accident I probably would have lost my composure all together if I had decided to write about it before now.
If you've decided to ride a bike, you are assuming a bit of risk... period. Just like riding a motorcycle. It is legal to ride a bicycle, and there are laws that protect our rights as cyclists. However, 65% of all americans eat approximately three meals a week behind the wheel of a car while talking on the cell phone and driving with their knees (Don't research that statistic... I just made it up, but you get my point). People don't pay attention while they drive. I don't consider myself any different. If anything, this accident has made me aware of how fortunate I am as a driver to have gone so long without any serious incidents. I drive at least 3hrs a day for work and understand how easy it is to get comfortable while driving. Have you ever gone through a signal and not realized it was yellow... or worse... RED until you were already in the intersection. We've all been there. The scary thing about this realization is the fact that if you were to change any one of a few variables in the situations we face each and every day while driving... in the blink of an eye you could find yourself responsible for taking someones life, or even your own. Riding a bike comes with it's share of risks. The fact that most drivers are not looking for cyclists is the most important thing to understand. That way you don't go putting yourself in situations that make you vulnerable. The second most important thing to understand is that the motorists that do see you are not usually 'happy' to see you. You are usually going to be taking up "their" space in the road... going under the speed limit... or causing them to miss the next light because of your slow start and clipping in. So don't go doing anything that ticks them off even more. Just because nobody else is coming doesn't mean it's OK to roll through a red light. Traffic laws are there to protect us, so don't abuse them and give anybody reason to hate cyclists even more.
If you're being safe, smart, and courteous then you've done the best that you can do. Still... even if you have done all that (as is my case) people will still fail to see you, and may drive their cars into you. At that point, you just need to be prepared. Here are a few things that you need to know that will help you out.

1. Have good insurance. Most insurance carriers do not provide cycling insurance. However, a good unsurance company will cover the replacement of a bicycle under a homeowners policy at the cost of your deductible. This is usually not worth the hassle unless you just bought the bike of your dreams... like I did =(. Hopefully you will not have to use your insurance at all, assuming the wreck is not your fault, the drivers auto insurance should at minimum cover the price that you paid for all damaged equipment. If replacement cost ended up being more than what you paid, like mine did, don't hold your breath.
2. Call the cops. No matter how big, or small, the accident may have been. If there is any sort of bodily injury or damage to property the authorities should be notified and a report should be filled out. If you decide to file a claim with that motorist's insurance, even a day later, and there is no police report on file, the insurance will smell blood and end up claiming it was your fault and deny the claim... like mine did.
3. Write stuff down. If there are any witnesses, get names and phone numbers and ask them if they saw what happened. You might need to get ahold of some of those people later if the driver that hit you tries to claim that they didn't actually hit you... and say "it was the guy behind me that hit you"... like mine did.... =(.
4. Identify yourself. You need to get on the internet right now and buy a RoadID. This is a wristband that has your name and address and emergency contact information. You can customize these bracelets (or anklets) to carry even the most specific information... such as blood type. If you are rendered unable to speak for yourself, the RoadID will speak for you.
Nobody does an ironman, half, olympic, or even a sprint distance triathlon without doing a bit of training and preparation. Don't let your preparation fall short. Prepare for the unexpected. Protect the most valuable asset you have in this life... you. God has given you a great life, and other people don't always do the right thing. These tips will help you hold them accountable, and help you get the treatment you need if you find yourself in this situation.

And wear your stupid helmets people... geez, They're not that hot and uncomfortable!

Real men shave their legs

I should be writing a race review of the Sylvan Beach triathlon last weekend. Instead... bicycle safety. Last friday night, I headed out for a medium intensity brick workout. I had planned a fast paced 12-mile bike before a transition to a med paced 5 mile run. I didn't quite make it to the run. At mile 10 of the bike I approached an intersection, checked to make sure that it was clear, and then accelerated to make it through quickly. Little did I know, coming the opposite direction, a lady made the decision to try and beat out a yellow light. She made a quick left turn and managed to put herself directly in the path of my bike before I even knew what was going on. The most dangerous aspect of training for a triathlon is riding in the aero position. I need to spend a lot of time in the aero bars to simply get used to it. This is my first tri bike, and with a back surgery just 6 months ago, it is taking lots of practice and adjustments in spacing to find out how to be the most comfortable. The dangerous part about the aeros is your ability to react. When training, you don't have the benefit of a closed course like on race day, and when a driver gets careless your hands are nowhere near your breaks. By the time I saw the car, I knew I was going to hit it. Naturally, I swerved anyway, and was able to minimize the damage (namely staying alive). Instead of a direct impact with the side of her vehicle, my handlebars suffered the biggest punishment when they plunged into her tail-light. This wrenched my front fork, ripped the front tire off the wheel, and threw me over the back of the car into the middle of the intersection. So instead of the car stopping me in my tracks I was able to slowly decelerate on the pavement... hehe. But seriously, this was probably the main contributing factor for me walking away with zero broken bones. Instead, all of my clothing was ripped up pretty good, I separated my shoulder, got some pretty decent whiplash, plenty of road-rash, and a great little knot on the head. The helmet definitely saved my life, the tri-shorts and top absolutely minimized the amount of road rash, the gloves kept my hands from getting chewed up, and the fact that I had just shaved my arms, legs, shoulders... and well, just about everything, saved me loads of discomfort after the fact. When you have a particularly hairy disposition, such as myself, road rash is a fearsome enemy in the immediate days and weeks, post crash. Wound care is miserable when the adhesive tape is pulling out hundreds of hairs each time you change a bandage. And as the wound dries out and scabs start to form, you know your on the road to recovery. The funny thing about wounds.... the scabs seem to shrink as they heal, and this pulls out even more hair. So, you're fighting the hair pulling battle literally with every step, bend, lunge, and turn. So, If you're going to ride your bike, by all means... gear up, stay alert, and go to your bathroom right now and shave.

Races, Races, Races

This blog is well overdue. Memorial Day weekend was the 20th anniversary of the Captex Tri. WHAT A RACE!!!! This one is just plain fun, even if you're not participating. It takes place on Ladybird lake in downtown Austin. The water is clear enough to see the rocks as you swim just over the top of them (yes at times it did get pretty shallow... don't try to push off of them, some are sharp... cough cough... yes... guilty). The water temp was 68 deg. and I don't own a wetsuit... yet. Definitely an advantage on a swim like that. It was supposed to be a 1500m swim, but the word on the street says it may have been just a bit long. Just about everybody was posting longer times than they were expecting. I'm a pretty slow swimmer in the first place, but even I was surprised by my 38:50. I was expecting at least 35:00. But oh well, that's about the only thing that did not succeed to blow me away about the weekend. If you are a spectator, you can stand on the bridge and watch the swimmers pass underneath you, pass through transition and whoosh past you on that same bridge on their bikes, then walk over one block to catch an out and back section of the run. I have never seen a race this accessible to the fans. We ran a relay (in which I did the swimming) so I got to walk around a bit and check out the course as it was being run, and it was truely a good course. Slowtwich.com has a race review along with a nice image gallery in case you want to check it out. I saw Mr. Willie Fowlkes volunteering. He's the race director for the Woodlands CB&I triathlon. That was actually very exciting. The woodlands race is so well run, it's obvious that the director is taking some good notes from the best in the business. Hopefully the CB&I can begin to generate enough revenue to offer many of the perks that CapTex did. Zumtri.com gave a fabulous virtual race recap for all of the finihsers. Simply type in your bib number and even a comparison bib number of someone else and it placed tiny dots on a simulated race map that circled the course and let you relive the experience. I felt myself rooting for the dots on the screen as they neared the finish line, much like the old Dot Races on the video screen at the old Astros games.

This weekend is the Sylvan Beach Tri. Basically an Olympic distance. My first Salt water swim. I am anxious to see how that goes. Gotta get the bike ready. I have evidently already stretched out the rear derailleur cable after just a few rides. It is trying to switch gears by itself. I would love to make it down to Webster Bicycle to get the guys to tune it up before the race, but my week is so busy i don't think I am going to have time to make the hour & a half trek to drop it off and pick it up before the race on Sunday. If I can squeeze it in I will. Those guys know what they are doing and it would be worth it not to do it myself.

I made a comment that a friend of mine said he had actually heard is common among triathletes. Just about every race I enter, there is a moment when I ask myself why I do this. It's painful, it's not free, and it takes a lot of time. Then I look in the mirror and I see a guy that's lost 20 lbs since this winter, I sense the excitement building as the next race comes around, and I get a neat response via Twitter & Facebook from one of the many very accessible professional triathletes and the thought of quitting is a distant memory.

No go outside and sweat a little, It is good for you.

Training or Working Out?

Do you workout?... Or do you train? Training implies that you are preparing yourself to perform at some level for a specific activity at some future date. Working out has a much more generic implication. I find it much easier to train than workout. Infuse my excersice routine with meaning and all of a sudden I don't have near as much trouble waking up early for a run or eating a bunch or egg-whites for breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal. And not just a long term goal... I need something immediate. When I think about doing Ironman Wisconsin in 2011 I don't feel the urgency to train the way I do when I know that the Cap-Tex triathlon in Austin is only two weeks away and the other two guys in my relay are hoping that I give them the fastest mile swim I can possibly give them.

I say this to emphasize the importance of short-term goals. Much like college... when the professor assigns a major paper the first week of class and makes it due the last week of class, I'm probably not even thinking about the paper until the last couple of weeks before it's due (if not the night before). However, it is not possible to "cram" for an Ironman triathlon (or even smaller events like a marathon, half marathon, or even 10k). The sudden onslaught of training only leads to injury and pain. So pick a few events throughout the year that you can work toward. Cram for those smaller events and you'll end up building that base level of fitness without having to develope a grand scheme for some far off event and commit months and months in advance. This will keep you from getting frustrated with interruptions in your training schedule, and help overcome the urge to abandon it all together.

So far I couldn't be happier with the way this year's training has gone. The CB&I triathlon went great. I placed 10th in my Clydesdale division (and that happend to be my specific personal goal). The back is holding up well with the bike riding, running, and swimming. I think the strength training over the winter after surgery has made all of the difference. It has enabled me to exercise worry free. And so far, I've lost at least 10lbs since December. So keep at it!!! It does eventually pay off. And if you think triathlon is too difficult and you would never be able to do one. I encourage you to attend one. The race day environment is like none other on the face of this planet. You will see people in far worse shape than you are participating in something you never thought you could do. You just might get hooked. Congrats to my buddy Stephen Shaw for completing his first CB&I (he did quite well as a matter of fact!) I know he had a blast and I'm sure he will do it again.

Now go sweat it out!!!
Soulrider

CB&I Triathlon Race review

The first triathlon of the season is in the bag and we have a lot to cover. Brand new bike with lots of features and plenty of memorable experiences.

Let me start out by saying once again, my new Cannondale Slice is amazing. I got the bike one week before the race and only had three casual rides on it before the race. This is the exact opposite of what you're supposed to do when "training" for a race, but what else are you supposed to do when you don't have a bike? My previous PR at the CB&I was a 19 mph avg on the bike, but this year, on the new bike, I averaged 21 mph. I guess you really can buy speed when it comes to the bike.

The swim course is the story of the week. The CB&I triathlon has only been around for 7 years, but in that time it has grown to one of the most popular races in the state. The bike course is flat and fast, the run course is wide open and takes you through the beautiful upscale East Shore residential development, but the swim... oh the swim. The swim leg is the one aspect of this race that appears to have a limit to the amount of improvement it can sustain. The distance of the swim is constant with that of any other sprint... 500m. The course itself is a basic out and back that is more than manageable and provides great visibility of all participants to spectators on the shore. The water, however, is the one big question mark. What is in the water? Who knows? This is what I'm trying to find out. There are all sorts of rumors floating around, and you can't participate in the race without hearing chatter about the water quality. I've heard these conversations since 2006 when I started racing CB&I (coincidentally that year the race was turned into a USAT sanctioned 5K due to the rain and nobody swam that morning). The rumors about why the water quality is so poor are actually kinda funny. I've heard everything from excessive fish waste, duck waste, and community sewage draining into the lake. Who knows, maybe they're right... I doubt it, but how does the average triathlon fan know for sure that they're not literally wading into a toxic cesspool? If you have hesitations about wether or not you should expose yourself to a possible health hazard, how do you put your mind at ease? Information is the only way you can make a responsible decision concerning your own health and safety. I sign waivers for haunted houses every Halloween because they tell me "Somebody WILL jump out and scare me... and if I don't touch anyone they WON'T touch me" It makes me a bit nervous however, to sign a race waiver when I haven't even been informed about what's in the water. Willie Fowlkes is the race director for the CB&I triathlon and kindly responded to my initial response to this issue of water quality. He states that Lake Woodlands is, in fact, a "non-contact" body of water, but this is a result of a community association guideline, not necessarily a safety measure due to poor water-quality. He references the TECQ in his email and simply provides the following in regards to contents of the water, "The level of reading we have received for fecal matter and e-coli have been below the standard in which they measure if a body of water is deemed a safe body of contact." This aroused my curiosity even more, and I visited TECQ.net to see if they had any reports available for public viewing. What I found out was pretty interesting. TECQ only classifies two bodies of water in the entire state of Texas as "non-contact" the ship channel and a section of the Rio Grande in El Paso. The TECQ references these two bodies of water when it goes on to say this, "Contact recreation is assigned to all water bodies, except for a few discussed below (non contact recreation.) Full support of the contact recreation use is not a guarantee that the water is completely safe of disease-causing organisms." So by saying that Lake Woodlands meets the TECQ standard for recreational use does not actually mean that it is safe to swim in after-all.

I am told that the water is "safe" but my experiences tell me otherwise. In 2007 I completed the swim course and acquired an ear infection in the days immediately following the race. In 2008, my goggles fill up with water and I ended up with an eye infection shortly thereafter. I did not race in 2009 (due to an injury) but a buddy of mine did... he swallowed a bit of water and became so sick that he lost about 9 pounds on the Sunday after the race. And this year, the same buddy, cut his foot on one of the many exposed zip-ties on the exit mats and ended up spending close to a week in the hospital due to a bacterial infection in the blood-stream. So you can tell me that the water is safe, but my experience tells me that might not be entirely true. If these illnesses are purely coincidental, then they are a strange coincidence in-deed. The only way a racer will be able to make an informed decision before participating in the race is to be aware of what the acceptable standards are, and subsequently informed of the present findings of the body of water in question. In my opinion, this is the burden of the race organizers... much like posting a course map, or sweeping the gravel from the turns of the bike course. It's due diligence.

I am looking forward to seeing if I can beat my time next year, but I haven't quite convinced myself that it's worth the risk.
Hooray for springtime and "fresh" water swimming.
Soulrider

It's here!!!!

The bike has finally arrived! And just in time for the Woodlands CB&I Triathlon. This gives me one week to get used to shifting in the aero position and recover from being incredibly saddle sore. I didn't think Saddle soreness would be a problem. I've ridden for years and have never really had that big of an issue with it. However, there are certain things that can be an issue for a guy if the saddle isn't just right, and I've been told that switching to an Adamo saddle would probably be the best thing for me. So I switched. The traditional saddle supports your frame on a single thin saddle nose down the center... and the Adamo has a "split" nose that spreads the support out towards the outside of your... well... "contact area". It felt a million more times comfortable right off the bat, but the next day was a different story. The first rides of the season are rough and you can expect to be sore, but it has progressively gotten easier because my body has become used to it. Well this was a brand new position for my saddle and my body definitely let me know that it did not see that one coming.
The next piece of equipment I am excited about trying out is my new Louis Garneau Tri shoes. I found a pair of size 50 tri shoes on Ebay, and they were relatively cheap compared to your average retail tri shoe... only $120. (Seriously, shop around, you will see... that's about half price) So I took a gamble and ordered a pair without ever trying them on. I knew I would be pretty close on the size because I was finally fitted correctly. The shoes themselves are perfect. I have never ridden with a pair of prand new, comfortable, no hassle shoe before, and I am perfecty satisfied with these shoes. There is one large velcro strap to get in and out of the shoes quickly, they are lightweight, and they are well ventilated so your wet foot can dry out on the bike ride, yet they provide plenty of support. The process I chose to purchase these shoes however is regretable. If you click on the link above for the shoe, you can see that these shoes are available straight from the website. This is always the best way to purchase new gear online. Ebay/craigslist should be used as a last resort for times when you know exactly what you want, and you know you can get a great deal. I do not recommend shopping on Ebay for retail items than can be purchased for the same price straight from the source. All you are doing is adding another link in the chain, and another opportunity for something to go wrong. This is what happened to me. I saw the shoes on Ebay and got excited. They had the size I was looking for, and being that a size 50-52 is a difficult size to find n the first place, when i saw that this guy only had one pair left, I paniced and hit buy it now. If I had taken the time and done the research like i did before writing this article, I would have found that I could buy these shoes straight from LG for the same price and not had to worry about wether or not this Ebay schmuck would follow through with the order. I say that because I realized very quickly how horribly wrong this entire deal could have gone south about 3 days after i purchased the shoes. I clicked "buy it now" on a Wednesday and by friday i still had not even received a confirmation email from 2wheels77. (Yes this is his real Ebay username and he does operate a real life Ebay bike store) So i sent him an email and asked him if he received my order, he sent back a one line email response that said... "Thx, rec'd order will ship out by next Tuesday. Rgds" I saw this and about 50 questions popped into my mind. Was he saying thanks for notifying him that he had a sale? Had he forgotten? Had he just not paid attention? Or was he just being patronizing and saying don't worry, I'm gonna ship it out. Either way, that answer wasn't good enough for me. It had been three days, it is his job to contact me first, and if he DID ship it out the following tuesday, THAT'S ALMOST A WEEK... If you run an Ebay store, it shouldn't be that hard to ship out a show box in no more than 2-3 days (especially if that's what your ad claims.) So the timeline he gave me was unacceptable from the beginning, and then... HE DIDN'T SHIP THE SHOES UNTIL THURSDAY!!!! If you're going to promise something, have the professionalism to follow through or at least communicate to the buyer any issues that might be causing a delay. I had a brand new bike sitting in my house, no shoes to ride it, and a triathlon a week a way. I was beginning to think that this guy was gonna keep me from participating in the first race of my season. So then i started reading his feedback... (I know... a little too late) and I saw the exact same thing happening to a handful of other people. Apparently this guy advertises on Ebay a lot of stuff that he doesn't even have in stock, and if it sells, he goes and gets it and then ships it to you. There were comments about never receiving the goods, filing claims with the Ebay dispute center, and fighting to get money returned. There was a lot of positive feedback as well, but apparently you have to get lucky and buy something he has sitting there ready to go and waiting on his shelf. Needless to say I was really getting nervous. The shoes finally arrived and I love them. I got lucky.
Well that's all for today, I'll write more about the bike later. I want to take it for more than the two rides i've had before I do a review. But I will say this... WOW!!!! In the meantime... Enjoy the pictures.
PS I have a nice watch tan to keep me smiling through the day at work... Yeah Spring!

Anticipation - Half the fun - Best Motivation

April is widely considered the start of the racing season. There aren't that many triathlons in March, because it's still a bit too chilly. But Ahhh April. Trainers start collecting a bit of dust as bikers make their way onto the streets, long sleeves and leggings are packed away in favor of the shorty's, and the farmer's tan across the bicep is a warmly welcomed resident. Today is an extermely special day for a select few. Ironman Kona announces the winners of their lottery slots for the National Championship race in Hawaii.

I can't help but get caught up in the excitement of the racing season. I shop for bikes every year, even if I don't need one, because they are always changing and I love triathlons for very the same reason as I love working in my wood shop... I love the tools. So, added to the normal excitement of planning your season's race calendar and whipping your body into shape, I can only imagine the excitement you must feel on a day like today if you were to hear that you had won one of these coveted slots. "But Honey... it's Kona... I NEED the 5k dollar bike!" The average TV viewer might see the Hawaiian Ironman on TV and think that if you're crazy enough to decide to do it, the biggest obstacle is behind you. That is far from the truth. There are only three ways to get to Kona... Qualifying, Charity, Lottery.

Only the best can qualify for Kona. It's much like the Boston Marathon, there are certain qualifying races and you must place high enough in those races to receive one of the available slots. This is quite the accomplishment to be proud of.

Supporting a charity is the most reliable method of assuring yourself a chance to participate in Kona. But be prepared, you don't just pick a charity and have all the pieces fall in to place. There is a lot of work involved. I don't know all of the ins and outs of charity racing, but the little I have read about Kona definitely impressed me. The good news is there are organizations out there that will actually help you organize your fundraising efforts. Or, if you're rich, you can do what the celebrities do and find a charity that has done all of the work and purchase one of the slots that they are auctioning off. I have seen slots for Kona go for tens of thousands of dollars.

The Lottery is the easiest way to get to Kona, but possibly the least likely way you will ever get there, considering the thousands of people you are going up against for one of the 200 available slots (150 dedicated to US citizens and 50 dedicated to internationals). But wait, you still have to do a bit of work to make this happen. You must pay to apply for the lottery, and if you are lucky enough to get one of the slots, you must complete a half IM or greater within one year of the race to validate your lottery position.

So Congratulations to this year's Lottery winners. Here's a shout out to a few that were chosen right here in my back yard.

Amy Barr - The Woodlands
John Laskowski - The Woodlands
Laura O'Connor - Houston
William Davenport - Missouri City
Cindy Reeves - League City

And as far as all Texans chosen, there were also three from Austin, and one each from Dallas, Ft. Worth, Frisco, and San Marcos. Good luck to all of today's Lottery Winners, and who knows, maybe next year. I'm plannning on doing IM Wisconsin 2011, but this Lottery thing might be worth a shot.

Sunny with a high of 80 today... I can't wait for the shipment of my new cannondale slice, However, I have gotten used to reading my "Triathlete" magazine and watching the TV while I train on the stationary at the Y. Oh well... I AM more excited about getting my first sunburn of the season!!!!

Soulrider.

LBS part 4

The best part of learning something new about your cycling equipment options is the confidence it gives you when you actually make your purchase. Finding a store that will walk you through the entire process is both important and difficult. If you have a bike store close to your house, check it out, talk to guys behind the desk, ask if the owner works there. Trust me, you will find out very quickly how willing they are to "help". Trust your gut. If you get the feeling that they are too busy to truly help... you're probably right. Again, Webster Bicycle was a pleasure to shop. Terry met us at the door and gave us the grand tour of the place, and get this... when we stumbled across an item that they did not have... he recommended me to a different source instead of trying to fit me into something that wouldn't be the best choice for me. Specifically, triathlon cycling shoes. I've been riding for about three years now with a pair of shoes that were a size too small. I'm a clydesdale with size 14 (50 euro) shoes and i was actually sold a pair of 48's because it was the largest they had, but Terry told me that the manufacturers they carried only made up to a 48 and it was not going to be a good choice for me. So, thanks Terry, my feet thank you. However, Their Shimano custom fit shoe is quite the amazing product. You get a carbon sole shoe that is placed on your foot and then placed in some sort of vacuum that shapes the shoe to the exact shape of your foot, then the shoe is actually baked in the Shimano "easy bake" oven and voila, one custom fit shoe that fits you better than anyone else in the whole wide world.

The Cannondale BB30 proprietary bottom bracket system is way cool. Terry gave me a hands on demonstration of the the "guts" of the whole thing. Some say it might soon be the industry standard as far as bottom brackets. It's possible, there are some advantages to it. It is probably lighter that the one most likely on your old bike, there are no cups on the outside of your frame that house the bearings and set your feet slightly wider apart (this allows your feet to be closer to the frame and directly under you), and the larger diameter provides greater stiffness so you can know that more of your clydesdale power is being transferred to the wheel.

Meeting Russ,the owner at Webster Bicycle, was definitely a treat. When you are able to talk to the owner, do it, it will tell you all you need to know about the shop. When the owner works at the store, you know that he's invested. He hasn't just purchased a shop and trusted it's well-being with some college kids who think bikes are pretty cool. Russ talked about the F.I.S.T. system for fitting a rider to his bike. You may have heard about Dan Empfield from slow-twitch, he used to be the man behind Quintana Roo, and he's kinda the authority on all things triathlon at the moment. Visit his website slowtwitch.com and follow him on twitter @slowtwitch and you'll feel like you are finally "in the loop". You will get the absolute latest on everything related to triathlon beamed straight to your laptop or smart phone. Anyway, Russ attended one of Dan's classes where he he learned the now industry standard F.I.S.T. bike fitting system (created by Dan himself... go to slowtwitch.com to read more about that) and has become the best place to get a proper fit for your tri-bike in the Houston area. Proper fitting for your tri-bike is every bit as important for the clydesdale as it is for the lightweight racer. The temptation to take shortcuts in fitting your customer on their bike in order to save money can be too great for a lot of shops, but if your shop has run you through the paces of the F.I.S.T. system you can rest assured that you will not only be comfortable, you will decrease your chances os injury from a "bad" fit.

Well that's the end of the LBS series. Now I just have to wait about a month for Cannondale to ship the bike. Next, it's time to get serious about training. I've started running and swimming, and have been doing light weight training to build strength back up after the back surgery. I need to start pushing it to see some real weight loss and increased fitness, but I don't want to risk injury... again. So, I'll be researching and focusing on core strength and cardio fitness. Anyway... Spring is finally here and it's warming up... it was 80 degrees here in Houston for about three days in a row... go outside and sweat.

Soulrider

LBS part 3

I took my trip to Webster Bicycle and loved every minute of it. Of course the 1 1/2 hour drive there was full of excitement because I'm about to have my first encounter with what I hope is the answer to all my LBS (local bike shop) woes. The trip back was just as pleasant because my excitement was not met with disapointment. I enjoyed every second I spent. Webster Bicycle has everything a bike enthusiast could want, from BMX to a sweet single speed. Part of the fun in purchasing a bike is dreaming... looking at what is possible (much like visiting a ferrari dealership), and thinking to your self, "maybe someday." There were plenty of those kinds of bikes too. But not only bikes, they had a wall of shoes, racks and racks of clothes, wheels, tires, and tons of gear. I walked in and was immediately met with a smiling face. I introduced myself and Terry immediately recognized me from the phone, went to get my order, and I placed my deposit for my Cannondale Slice 5. Step 1 complete. Sure that was exciting, but the cool part was what happened next. He let me and my buddy hang out and chat him up for the next hour. I got an education on shimano's custom fit shoes, Terry explained the ins and outs of the BB30 sytem (Cannondales' proprietary bottom bracket design), I witnessed a personal bike fitting, and (last but definitely not least... actually, probably most importantly) I got to meet the owner. I'll explain the importance of each of these things as far as how they affect clydesdales in LBS part 4... I've got pictures and everything.
Spring is here... go do something.
Soulrider.

The BIG Decision

If you're a clydesdale (+200lb triathlete), the chances you will be winning your "age group" at any particular race this upcomming season are about as big as your chances of fitting into that size 32" waist slacks that have been hanging in your closet since college... Even if you're not a "fat" clydesdale. I'm 6'5" and weigh 255 lbs (I just weighed in at the Y this past Tuesday and that's down about 5 lbs since the start of my running program about a week and a half ago) I could definitely stand to lose a few more pounds, but even when I do lose my goal of thirty pounds I am still, most definitely, a clydesdale... and have always had a bit of trouble keeping up with my fleet footed friends who tip the scale at 150-170. Let's face it, there aren't that many 6 1/2 ft tall sub 7 min milers in the world. I say all this in order to set up the most important question you have to ask yourself when choosing a brand new tri-bike... How competitive do plan on being?

If you do have hopes of winning your age group (as a clydesdale even) then by all means you need every advantage you can get, because the odds are stacked against you from the beginning. So more power to you, purchase the best equipment you can afford and try your best to be OK with the fact that anyone that passes you on their lesser quality bike has taken a mental snap-shot of you and is using that as inspiration for the rest of his racing career and talking about you to his friends. We've all heard it before... shoot, I've done it. "Did you see that guy on the P2 with the disc wheels? Yeah, I passed him 15 mins into the ride on my garage-sale 1983 Fuji!"

Keeping the proper perspective in mind and the necessary entertainment value that should be considered when spending this kind of money, you primarily need to be concerned about comfort, durability, and value. You probably don't need top-of-the-line anything, because you will look silly and that's ultimately not gonna be what helps you succeed. But, like i said, if you have the money and are a total gear-head (which I am somewhat guilty of)... more power to you. I am actually making a concious effort to be satisfied with the 105 components on my new bike, because I know that a Dura Ace rear derailler will only make it more expensive. If I ever get to the point where I'm in a photo finish and a couple seconds in the race would have made all the difference in winning, I might feel a bit more justified in purchasing the better stuff.

The frame is a differnt story. Aluminum has always been the better choice for a heavier guy. It is cheaper than titanium and lighter than steel. Heavier guys feel way less discomfort on an aluminum bike than the featherweights. The frame comresses more under the big guys and more of the roads vibrations are absorbed by the bike rather than being transfered through the bike to the rider. There has been a bit of a dark cloud when it comes to carbon and its weight limits. Most "people" I've talked to will say that carbon isn't rated for a rider over 200lbs... where they get this idea i don't know. Maybe they are thinking of the carbon bikes that were made 5-10 years ago. I've spoken with a LBS that said carbon Trek bikes don't have a weight limit, and I have personally corresponded with the manufacturer of Argon 18 bikes and asked him about one of their carbon bikes, this was his response... "Torbjorn Sindballe was riding that model when he broke the bike split record (in Kona) in 2006(I believe) Torbjorn is a pretty big guy and he's pushing really hard on the pedal. To resume.. no worries go get one." So, if the manufacturer is standing behind it and they're the ones providing the warranty, why should I worry? Besides, theoretically, carbon fiber CAN be made to be stronger than aluminum. "Well what if you wreck it?" you might ask... I wrecked an aluminum frame bike last year and ended up not keeping it because of the dents and scrapes, so what's the difference... right? The difference is, carbon fiber bikes are all the rage, and if you decide you want a different bike later you can sell a carbon bike quicker and for more money. Taller frames are always in high demand. So if you have one you want to get rid of, put it on Ebay... it will sell. I have yet to be dissapointed with a bike sale I've made on Ebay, and that's because the big frames are few and far between... I promise... check it out.

And this leads me to my new bike decision... I chose this.


The carbon frame should be comfortable and, because of the cannondale warranty, I'm not worried about it failing because of my weight. And by choosing carbon over aluminum I am able to get a frame that came out of the very same mold as their 10K bike. If you switch to aluminum you have to make a few compromises that i wasn't that thrilled about (as evident in the drastic differences in the jump that Felt makes between their aluminum and entry carbon bikes.) And if the component dork inside of me rears his ugly head after i get the bike, it's much easier to swap out a rear derailler than a frame. I like the fact that cannondale has a fully adjustable seat post. It's not a seat mast that has to be cut, and there are two positions (fore and aft) so I am relatively sure that i can adjust it to the geometry that best fits me. Also, Felt sells their bikes with a lot of house brand equipment. there's probably nothing wrong with it, but if i swap out something like the wheels or brakes or something, it will be a lot easier to sell a shimano wheel on ebay than a Felt house brand. And Quintana Roo is definitely coming on strong, but for some reason the brand doesn't excite me as much as it used to. They're coming out of a rough couple of years, and I don't have anything negative to say about them. But I do want to see them re-establish themselves among the leaders of the sport again before i throw down the cash and the commitment.

Well that's enough for today. I'm gonn go camping in the state park in Huntsville, TX tomorrow afternoon and Saturday, and hopefully get in some good trail running. I'm especially looking forward to some campfire skillet breakfast tacos. Tonight, the wife heads out of town for a weekend retreat and I'm gonna spend the evening at the Y and do an indoor brick workout. 30 mins on the stationary bike, and 30 mins on the treadmill. too bad i can't do it on the road yet... bike should be here at the end of April.

It's springtime... go do something.
Soulrider.

LBS continued

The Local Bike Shop is key to the bike purchase experience. Bikes are expensive, and they are much less forgiving than even a new car. They are a mechanical expression of you as a racer. It's like saying... "I'm not predjudice, but." As soon as somebody says that, you know they're about to say something extremely predjudice. So here it goes... I'm not superficial... but. You CAN tell a lot about somebody just by taking a quick look at their bike. If it is meticulously cleaned on race day, it's probably a sign that that person has truely prepared for the race. If the bike is brand new, has all the bells and whistles, and obviously cost a wad of cash, pay attention to that racer, you will either be impressed or entertained. If that person looks in shape but is riding on an old street bike, watch out... that person obviously has the confidence to compete no matter what he's riding, so no matter how prepared he is for the race on that day, he just might have what it takes to gut anything out for an hour or two.

Anyway, the best thing the LBS does for you is give you confidence in your new purchase. One, you've seen the bike... Two, you've ridden the bike... Three, you've met the people who will be servicing your bike... Four, you've been inspired by the others you see walking in and out of the store parading their 5K & 6K dollar bikes like proud parents. So when a LBS does the exact opposite, and removes all the buyers confidence in purchasing a new bike, the patron is better off purchasing on the internet.

I am the biggest fan of supporting your LBS, but I refuse to faithfully dole out money to an establishment of snobs who make you feel like they are counting down the seconds until you let them get back to what they were doing before you walked in the door. From the grey haired lady that hasn't cracked a smile in 15 years, to the creepy blank stares from the bike guru himself, all the way down to the young girl behind the counter who actually has to be told that you're ready to check out before she makes her way to the register to help the patron standing at the glass counter with his arms full of gear.

But I digress... on a related note, I've purchased no less then 6 bikes from my favorite LBS over the past 15 years... driving as far as 50-60 miles for service during a period of time when i lived a bit further away. Presently, living closer in proximity to my beloved LBS (in the Woodlands, TX) than ever before, have decided to purchase a bike from a new store about an hour and a half drive away. Specifically because of the reasons detailed above. I have put up with the akwardness, the frustration, the inconvenience for all these years out of compulsion to support a retailer that i desperately wanted to believe in. Now that I'm ready to make that big purchase, and I truely want to have the complete buying experience, I actually feel a sense of liberation. The sheer sense of excitement that was received after the very first phone conversation with Webster Bicycle in Webster, TX has been worth the whole process, and they haven't even seen one red cent from me yet. But I can tell you this... I placed a call, they called me back, we had an actual conversation, I hung up the phone with confidence. So thank you Terry, at Webster Bicycle. I will be comming to see you soon to place my down payment and secure the delivery of my brand new tri bike.

I will discuss the bike I chose tomorrow, but for now here are some links to the final three I was reviewing up until this past weekend. I will discuss everything from aluminum to carbon as it relates to Clydesdales, and everything from colors to components as it relates to your investment.

the Felt B16
The Quintana Roo Seduza
The Cannondale Slice 5

LBS

LBS is not just a 3 letter word for one of the requirements of being a clydesdale. It's also stands for one of the most vital resources for the success of a clydesdale or any beginner triathlete... the Local Bike Shop. The average beginner triathlete can't tell from pictures on a web page the three most important factors to consider when choosing a bike... fit, fit, and fit. And the only way to be completely confident in your purchase is to actually swing a leg over a bike, strap on a helmet and take a few laps around the parking lot. A quality bike shop will set your bike up on a trainer and watch you pedal away while making adjustments until you are adequately fit. It's way too tempting to choose a bike based simply on color scheme and brand recognition. These factors definitely have a lot to do with the decision but fit should absolutely be the determining factor. Well... now that I've said what I'm supposed to say, let's talk about what really drives anyone to buy such a big ticket item. If anyone says they just want a good bike at a reasonable price and don't care about brand, color scheme, or components, then a huge world of possibilities lies ahead of them. To them I would say purchase a Motobecane, Leader, Fuji, Windsor, or Dawes with an aluminum frame from Bikesdirect.com and a Shimano Sora groupset online, find someone to help you get it properly fit, and ride off into the sunset. If this sound like a deal that you might be a bit hesitant in pulling the trigger on... let's face it, you want something much cooler than "any old bike" and you want to ride something you'll be proud of. But, there are a few things you need to consider when choosing your bike to make sure you get the most for your money, cause let's face it... money is always an issue, components can come back to haunt you, and nobody wants to spend money on anything they will most likely be wanting to replace. So question number one, and what i will let you wrestle with until the next post is... What brands excite you the most and how adjustable is the geometry (primarily a fully adjustable and dual position seat-post). Next time, we'll talk about what type of frame you need to get.
Again, it's springtime... go do something.
Soulrider

Starting Out

Hey there,
While searching the internet for a good place to read about, learn about, and receive inspiration for... not necessarily competing... but participating in the wonderful world of triathlons, I realized that I didn't really relate to many of the articles, stories, and testimonies I was reading. I'm not a 5% bodyfat type guy, looking to one-up the guy next to me (component wise) in transition. I just love the sport, and I love staying active, and will forever be balancing this with my desire to enjoy the finer things in life... such as double cheeseburgers. I do believe that within most able bodied people lies the ability to transform their bodies into an extremely competitive racing machine, all it takes is discipline, time, intelligent training, adequate monetary resources, and a flexible support group. Not everybody has each piece of that puzzle at their disposal, and even if they did, not everybody desires to spend that amount of free-time away from the people they love or that amount of money on something so (in the grand scheme of things)... unimportant.
That being said, triathlon bikes are just incredibly cool, and I would buy one just to hang it on my wall and look at it. But to be able and get on one and pedal around a course with my age-group just a few minutes after the "elites", in my opinion, is like getting to strap up a pair of hi-tops and play some pick-up ball at the Toyota Center just after YAO and my beloved Rockets hear the final whistle and head to the showers. It's a rare experience in sport that allows you the very same experience the pros get.
So, feel free to check back here and see what's going on. I consider myself a beginner triathlete, even though I've been doing this for about 4 years. I have committed myself to complete my first 70.3 by the end of this year, and have targeted the end of next year to complete my first IM. I've gone through some injury and some economic issues as a result that required me to sell all 3 of the bikes i had in my posession to pay some bills. So you have a chance to travel with me through my journey back out on the road as I search for the perfect bike, and as I try to get myself back into shape and start enjoying the sport I've missed so much for about a year now. I will review the bikes and the specs I'm considering and maybe we can all learn something together.
That's probably enough for the first post, I've got some work to do.
Next post we'll get right into it and talk about the bikes I'm considering.
Cannondale Slice 5, Felt b16, Quintana Roo Seduza
Should be fun... Until then, Spring is here... go do something.
Soulrider